


FebuWhump2021 Day 13: Hiding an Injury

by startrekkingaroundasgard



Series: FebuWhump2021 [13]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Blood Loss, Hurt No Comfort, Injury, Mission Fic, Multi, Self-Destruction, Shock, Stubborn Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:26:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29083854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrekkingaroundasgard/pseuds/startrekkingaroundasgard
Summary: Bucky is injured on a mission but pushes himself to dangerous limits to complete his objectives.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes & Sam Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers
Series: FebuWhump2021 [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2156145
Kudos: 7





	FebuWhump2021 Day 13: Hiding an Injury

He’d been through worse than this, Bucky thought through gritted teeth. It was only a flesh wound, a small laceration behind his knee that paled in comparison to the agony of having his mind and soul stripped from his body. It wasn’t important. He could still walk, albeit with some difficulty, and would carry out his role without compromise.

Slipping into an empty room, he spared a final glance down the hallway to check for hostile shadows. The path was clear however a trail of blood droplets all but directed the enemy to his position, dark breadcrumbs that would lead them to his lookout and put the entire mission at risk. Stupid. He should have been more careful. If they were unable to capture this base because of his mistake, thousands of people would pay with their lives.

Steve’s voice cut through his internal conflict. “Unit Alpha, update.”

“In position,” Natasha replied. Sam quickly followed: “Ready and waiting.”

“Buck? Any problems?”

He glanced down at his bleeding knee, the dark red stain spreading as he bled into his uniform. Bucky blinked twice then responded sharply, “No problems. I’m almost in position.”

Bucky opened the window and hoisted himself up onto the roof. It should have been an easy manoeuvre but he executed it with the aptitude of an amateur. His metal hand locked on the pipe but his boots slipped on the ledge as he tried, and failed, to get a solid footing. He straightened his legs but the pain caused him to clench around the pipe, the force more than enough to snap the metal handhold.

The wind whipped his hair into his face as he fumbled for another hold. His only choice to punch a hole in the side of the wall, Bucky clawed himself up onto the roof and fell flat onto his stomach. He took a long, shaking breath of frozen air, the sharpness in his lungs enough to clear his mind.

Stop wasting time. There was a job to do.

Bucky set up his rifle with practised ease, his hands flying with seventy years of muscle memory. He trained the cross hairs on the guard tower on the west gate and reported: “In position.”

Then he waited for instructions. A sniper’s lot was a lonely one but that was how Bucky preferred it. He’d spent too many years in the centre of a fight. It was, he supposed, a quiet reprieve to stick to the edges. A method, a neatness to taking out specific targets rather than cutting down every living obstacle in his path.

His fingers tingled as he watched the guards pace in the tower, going about their day without a note of concern. He’d blame it on the chilly wind if his gloves weren’t so well insulated. When Bucky felt his heart rate spike, he knew something was wrong. But the mission had to be completed and it was too late to call for back up now that the Beta Team was moving in.

Focused on the main guard, Bucky adjusted his target and drew a sharp breath. He exhaled and took the shot. A text book shot. Only, it went wide. It missed the target by an entire inch. Bucky swore and adjusted his sight, this time making a perfect hit. However his mistake had cost them the element of surprise when the guard had an extra second to trigger the alarm.

The battle that followed in the courtyard was bloody but quick. Bucky did what he could from above and finally breathed a sigh of relief as the Gamma and Delta Teams rolled into the compound. His job finished, Bucky rolled onto his back and stared up at the sky. The roof was stained red, a large pool of blood around him, but it was warm so he didn’t complain.

Eyes heavy, Bucky let them drift shut. He’d earned a short breather. Then he’d meet the others at the rendezvous point. Yeah, just a little rest. There was no harm in that.


End file.
